CPI(M) MP John Brittas and Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat condemned the alleged attack on Purnea MP Pappu Yadav following his satirical skit on the Ram Mandir donation row, calling it an attack on freedom of expression and a sign of intolerance.
CPI (M) MP John Brittas on Monday condemned the alleged attack on Purnea MP Pappu Yadav following his satirical skit in Parliament over the alleged Ram Mandir donation row, saying physical assault on a parliamentarian was unacceptable and reflected intolerance towards criticism.
The remarks come a day after an alleged disruption at Pappu Yadav's residence in the national capital during a press conference, following the controversy over his satirical performance in Parliament. Speaking to ANI, Brittas termed the alleged incident "unfortunate" and said differences should be addressed through democratic means rather than physical confrontation. "It is quite unfortunate that an Opposition MP was manhandled and those with an allegiance to the ruling party went to his house and forcefully ended his press conference. If the ruling party wants to counter the charges, they have many avenues. Physical assault on parliamentarians is not the way to deal with it. It shows the mindset of the BJP and the Sangh Parivaar. What Pappu Yadav did in the Parliament was a skit... BJP is becoming so intolerant. They can't stomach the criticism," Brittas told ANI.
Opposition leaders slam incident
Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat also condemned the alleged incident, calling it an attack on freedom of expression. "There are two aspects to this. It is deeply distressing that some people are unable to accept disagreement in a democracy and are resorting to violent actions. I condemn any such incident. Nevertheless, I would certainly urge the government to ensure that people can express their views freely; if anyone is intimidated, threatened, or subjected to such acts, it hinders their ability to voice their opinions in the House, and this constitutes an attack on freedom of expression. I must emphasise that this is an attack on freedom of expression, and I condemn it," Bhagat told ANI.
Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari alleged that the issue surrounding the Ram Mandir donation row should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "Pappu Yadav's intention was that society sees the funds belonging to the Lord were looted. This case should be handed over to the CBI. There is a huge reaction from the public over this," Ansari said.
On the FIR lodged against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Pappu Yadav and SP MP Awadhesh Prasad over the alleged insult to Sanatan Dharma, Ansari alleged that it was an attempt to divert attention from the main issue. "This is done to divert the attention from the issue. Was anyone ready to accept it when Akhilesh Yadav raised this issue?" he added.
BJP terms skit an insult to Sanatan Dharma
BJP MP K Laxman said, "It was not right the way Pappu Yadav insulted Sanatan Dharma. One can raise questions in Parliament, but insulting Sanatan Dharma is not right."
Clash at Pappu Yadav's residence
On Sunday, the controversy surrounding the Parliament Ram Mandir skit intensified after a clash broke out at the residence of Purnia MP Pappu Yadav, who had portrayed a temple priest wearing saffron robes during the performance in Parliament on Friday. The clash erupted while Pappu Yadav was holding a press conference, during which individuals allegedly attempted to confront him, leading to a scuffle between them and his supporters.
Speaking to reporters after the incident, Yadav alleged that the episode was an attempt to assassinate him and claimed that a bounty had been announced against him. "Babas are saying every day, 'Kill me, burn me down; we will give Rs 51 lakh.' We caught him and handed him over to the police. There was a plot to kill me, but I survived," Yadav said.
He further alleged that the person involved in the incident was carrying a knife. (ANI)
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